Muira puama has a long history in herbal medicine as an aphrodisiac, a tonic for the nervous system an antirheumatic and for gastrointestinal disorders.

In 1925, a pharamacological study was published on muira puama which indicated it effectiveness in treating disorders of the nervous system and sexual impotency .

In Brazil and South American, it is used a neuromuscular tonic, for asthenia, paralysis, chronic rheumatism, sexual impotency, grippe, ataxia, and central nervous system disorders. In Europe, it is used to treat impotency, infertility, neurasthenia, menstrual disturbances and dysentery.

The benefits in treating impotency with muira puama has recently been studied in two human trials which showed that Muira puama was proven to be effective in improving libido and treating erectile dysfunction.